Future of a new CFA (Country Fire Authority) training centre is guaranteed, thanks to the Andrews Government.

“We’ve been working hard to secure this 35 ha site and now we can get on with the job of building a safe, world-class training facility.” Acting Premier James Merlino said.

“Our firefighters and emergency management workers put their own lives at risk to keep communities safe.”

Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino, Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley, Acting CFA Chief Officer Alen Slijepcevic and Member for Buninyong Geoff Howard today visited Ballan to announce that the Government has purchased land for a new Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre (VEMTC) near Ingliston Road.

2016-17 Victorian Budget invested $46.2 Million to address the shortfall caused by the closure of the CFA Training College in Fiskville, with $31 Million going to the purchase of land and establishment of the new training centre in Ballan.

Huntly VEMTC will also receive a share of funding for improvements to help more emergency management people develop and maintain their skills, as well as provide specialist investigation training.

“Building the new Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre in Ballan will help boost jobs in the region and the economic benefits will spread throughout the local community.” Member for Buninyong Geoff Howard said.

Funding is also going to the establishment of the Victorian Emergency Management Institute (VEMI) in Mount Macedon, which will be available to CFA members along with others in the broader Emergency Management sector to undertake training.

“This site will not just be for the CFA; it’s a first-rate facility that will be there for all agencies including the SES and other emergency services.” Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said.

Andrews Government shut down the Fiskville site in 2015 after tests showed firefighters were exposed to dangerous chemicals that likely caused cancer, confirming what many firefighters had suspected for decades.

“We closed Fiskville because of the cancer risks and we won’t stand by until we have new and upgraded firefighting training centres in place.” Acting Premier Merlino said.

State Government invested $80.7 Million to decommission the Fiskville training facility and conduct environmental audits and upgrades at 6 other operational centres located across regional Victoria. The new Ballan VEMTC will be an environmentally safe facility featuring hot fire and multi-purpose training pads as well as firefighting props and specialist training capability.

It will provide trainees with real life simulations of the emergency situations they may face on the front-line, ensuring they are ready when confronted with the natural disasters that put our communities at risk.